Florida: Great Weather and so Much More

Florida has over 19 million residents with a large transient population. For many people, the state's attractiveness has to do with its weather; others may be drawn to it by the opportunity to work in Florida's tourism industry or in aviation and aerospace, both of which are highly productive and profitable. Few states offer the consistently warm weather and the variety of lifestyle options that you can find in the sunshine state. If you are considering a move to Florida, one of its top cities may be ideal for you.

Florida is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico; its border with Georgia and Alabama lies to the north. Tallahassee is the state capital with Miami offering the state's most populous metropolitan area in addition to being the most populous metro area in the southeastern US. Miami's metropolitan area is the nation's 8th most populous with the Tampa Bay's being the 18th. Miami-Dade County is Florida's largest county in terms of its population, while Palm Beach County is the largest by area.

Florida's geography consists of four very different regions: the coastal plains of the Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean, the hilly areas in northern Florida as well as the Everglades and the Florida Keys. Florida's economy depends on its pleasant climate, which is tropical in the southern part of the state. Outside of South Florida, the climate is subtropical with mild winters that become colder the further north you go; however, summer weather is generally the same across the state. Summers in Florida are long, warm and humid.

Because it is the nation's southernmost state, immigrants from the Caribbean and Latin America heavily influence Florida’s culture. Migrants from the northern states and Canada have also made significant impacts. The Latin and Caribbean influence is felt the further south you go. To the north of the state, traditional southern culture becomes more prominent. The coastal regions offer a thriving beach culture with lots of amenities ranging from hotels to theme parks. Floridians are especially fond of sports and the state has many well-known sports teams on the college and professional levels.

Despite its reputation as the quintessential retirement destination, Florida has a variety of excellent communities for people in all age groups. There are so many options that choosing the right one can be daunting. Note that both owning a home and renting are on the expensive side in Florida, with rent being particularly high compared to the rest of the country. To help you make the right decision, we provide our choices for the best places to live in Florida. You can choose from among them using your preferred search radius along with the size of the population. You can narrow your list of best places in Florida further with a variety of factors that includes the size of the local population as well as the rent that you can afford. Other criteria that may be important to you include cost of living, crime and employment.